Connecting – Just One Reason Why Art Matters

Art Matters. It has a way of creating bonds between human beings that is beyond words. On those rare occasions when it happens with impact, it’s a soul-filling experience for everyone.

Sometimes it’s just not possible or desirable when you’re dealing through an agent but a great gallery will foster a brilliant three-way relationship. With the middle man, you’re one step removed from the relationship. Those new adoptive parents of that baby you’ve spent months nurturing, growing and creating are just a little bit further away.

Like all great parents, you raise those babies right so they go out and stand on their own. You send them off into the world not always knowing where they’ll end up. It’s a great privilege to know when they’ve found a new home where they’re cared for, loved and cherished…and it’s lovely to know where they live.

I care that the collector has as much information about my process in creating the work, the thought and materials that go into it, and the person that created it. That’s more than 80% of the reason why I write this blog..the other 20% is obviously therapy. Ha. Giving that back-story makes it all somehow more relevant from my point of view. There are special moments and connections that I cherish.

About five years ago, I was out painting at Spray Lake, and while I was working on the piece, my family was playing on the shore of the lake – a large family gathered at the point near my painting location, and their lives literally walked into the painting and into ours.

Their purpose that day was to honour the life of a husband, a grandfather…a father. They spent awhile on the point in service and then scattered his ashes. That’s a moment in my painting life that I will never forget. I painted all of that in – I was suddenly a part of all of their lives and this event. When a young girl from the family wandered down to see what I was doing, she told me that it was her grandfather, and that this had been his favourite place on the planet. It’s pretty much one of our favourite places on the planet too. I finished the work, gave it to her and asked that she give it to her grandma. A few weeks later, I received the most beautiful note from the family but more importantly, it was the day and the connectivity through art to life and death that mattered.

The New Parents

Jeff had been searching for six years to find a piece that fit into his collection in a certain spot in his home, and was struck by the image of this work in progress that I’d posted on Facebook. That’s an early stage to feel those heartstrings pull. Six weeks later, when the painting was completed, I sent Jeff a jpeg of it. He wasn’t sure that it had “grown up” to be the piece for the two spots he thought it would work so we thought it would be worthwhile to at least try it out in the space and see.

Delivering the piece over to the house to see if it was a fit, my son Jacob and I were in for a treat as Jeff so graciously toured us through his home and introduced us to his magnificent collection and his lovely daughter Jodi who was visiting.

I knew Jeff as a friend and a colleague from his role as the Chair of the Board of Governors of The Banff Centre when I worked there as Program Manager for Aboriginal Leadership. We’d had occasion to have lunch together after he learned of The Community Fusion project and he graciously opened the film and exhibition for the project on it’s launch.

Jeff ‘s enthusiasm and care for artists, the artistic process and the state of the world is evident in his support of every facet of disciplinary study in the arts, and we’re grateful to know him. His love for the arts is evident, not only in his service and leadership capacity but in the beautiful and superbly self-curated works that hang in his residence, from the thoughtfully situated sculptures… to the music by the invisible piano player on a wondrous grand (player) piano that plays magically throughout his home – a work of art in itself. Every piece has a story and a provenance.

This ….is art-full living!

We so enjoyed this wine together in the studio.

Holding up the painting in the selected spot, I think we were all surprised at how well it fit – that it belonged right there in that very spot – no other home…no other place. If I had tried to create a work specifically for the placement, I’m not certain that I would have been successful – it was somehow meant deep-down for Jeff. Art finds it’s own way. My baby had found it’s place in the world and I’ve extended my family.

Kevin and I hung the painting for Jeff. It was the first time that we’d ever done this together and it was a special experience for both of us. There were a few laughs along the way, that’s for sure! Kevin makes the stretchers and stretches the linen for me so it was fitting for him and meaningful for us both to be a part of the final process of seeing it where it belonged. To celebrate the work, Jeff gave us a lovely bottle of wine. We enjoyed it together in the studio that evening, toasting our baby into the world and wishing well to those who would encounter it as well as it’s new caretaker. I have to say that I am truly more pleased that this piece is with our friend who has it, than I am that the painting has been sold. It’s good to know and serves my heart well.

The Relationship of Art To Life To Art To Life…

This is what I love so much about art and it’s many forms – there are relationships everywhere. I have a relationship with the work as I think about it, watch it become reality before my eyes and create it. There are times when I can look at a piece that I’ve done, and remember the conversations I had, the meals, the music I listened to and the times and events in my life while I worked on it – those are the stories that are embedded in the work. For instance, the work above, “Lie To Me” was created while listening to Jonny Lang‘s music and named for the same song, “Lie To Me”. His music inspired me and by a freak chance (or perhaps NOT such a freak chance…) we met Jonny and his backup singer Jason Eskridge and had the opportunity to share a coffee and talk about the painting, the song and the connectivity between artforms.

I have a lovely client now who was so moved by this work, that she’s commissioned a similar piece…and I’m thrilled to work with her, because it’s the relationships that I know will grow as she sits for this work that will matter.

There is a relationship now with the experience we had while placing the work with Jeff, and there will be new relationships formed for him while it lives in his home. Art connects us and creates space for new experiences and dialogue. This is the true value of a work, whether it is a piece of theatre, music, writing, sculpture, dance or a painting that somehow moves us.